Water Lily
by Kipcha
Summary: A single blooming Water Lily was held delicately in his hand and held with such care you would not think possible for a fifteen year old boy.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon._

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_ Edited: November 27, 2010_

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Ash walked down the smooth concrete path, breathing in the cool autumn air deeply in an attempt to help his frayed nerves. Red and gold leaves fluttered down around him, causing shadows to dance around him and his faithful companion Pikachu who was walking beside him, oddly silent and solemn.

Ash was going to go see the girl that he loved, which had caused Pikachu to feel deep sorrow in his gut, his long ears drooping sadly. But he had put on a brave face and followed dutifully after his trainer on the ground instead of Ash's shoulder as a sign of respect. Ash wanted to look spotless for her. After all, he had something special in mind for today. A single blooming water lily was held delicately in his hand, held with such care you would not think possible for a fifteen year old boy, especially one that was usually so clumsy and carefree like Ash.

He didn't wear anything really special. After all, Misty hated it when guys looked really dressed up. She said it made them look false, having them try to be something they weren't. So he wore his usual Pokemon League baseball cap and the clothes he had worn in Sinnoh last year.

He could still remember, clear as day, that amazing feeling of when he had won the Sinnoh Pokemon League. Once he had won the Pokemon League there, what was the point in staying? Especially with another adventure no doubt awaiting him right around the corner. With that pleasant thought in mind Ash, Brock and Dawn had come back to Kanto.

He looked in the distance at the familiar Cerulean City surroundings, taking in this small spot of tranquility in the middle of the bustling city near Cerulean Cape.

He saw her, on the hilltop and approached cautiously, trying to keep his footsteps quiet and muffled in the grass. As he expected, no greeting came, so he took in another deep breath and began in a whisper. "Hey Misty..."

Ash stopped, his voice blocked suddenly by a lump in his throat and he looked at Pikachu, who was watching with an sad look on his face. Ash smiled momentarily. "Could I have some privacy buddy? Just a minute?"

Pikachu nodded and wandered back to the path. He sat, still watching his trainer from a distance.

Ash turned back and began again. "There is something I've always wanted to tell you, Misty. I... I love you. I never had the courage before, and... And I think it's high time I told you..."

Ash had seen the movies before (Mostly because of Misty and his Mother, he had never cared much for those disgustingly mushy romances but both women had and thus, he too was forced into watching them), but no shrieks of joy met his straining ears, no kisses rained upon him, no arms encircled his neck. Just pure, deafening silence rang through the wooded area. He felt tears spring to his eyes and they began to fall to the ground.

"Why do you never answer?" He asked desperately "I can't forgive myself. I'm sorry, so sorry. Please forgive me Misty."

"Ash?" Just then, a feminine voice came up from behind him and Ash turned to see his friends, Brock Slate, Gary Oaks, his previous rival and now one of his closest friends, May Maple with her boyfriend Drew, Max Maple with his faithful Ralts by his side and Dawn and her Piplup. They all wore the same melancholy expression of seriousness and embarressment filled the young boy, surprised at being caught and feeling suddenly terribly foolish.

"Ash?" Asked May again in a concerned tone and Ash desperately tried to wipe his tears away before everyone saw, as if he was trying to hide incriminating evidence to some terrible crime.

"S... Sorry." He said, turning away from the forever silent Misty.

"Why do you torture yourself Ash?" Asked Gary, "You know she can't answer. You're here every single day. Do you really think she would want you blaming yourself?"

"You didn't know her." Snapped Ash coldly but he immediately felt guilty when Gary dropped his gaze.

Ash turned back to the polished marble tombstone, her name blazing before him...

_**Misty **__**Waterflower  
**1991-2007  
Dearly Missed By All  
__**Leader of the Cerulean Gym  
**2005-2007_

He looked out over the marvelous view of the cape before him, the sun setting over the waters she had loved so much. He had worked so hard to get her this spot in the cemetery, knowing this cape is where all of her hopes had lain. All of her dreams, washed away in a split second. All because of him.

Pikachu, smelling his tears, immediately went to his side and was about to hop to his shoulder when his trainer fell to his knees, chocolate brown eyes bright with tears and pain and most of all... Guilt.

He heard his Pokeballs pop open, his team at the moment crowding him and trying to comfort him. All of his human friends gathering around as well, only to hear his constant mutterings.

"It's all my fault. All of it."

_"So, you better get to handing over that Pikachu." Snapped Jessie, getting right to the point as usual, while Meowth and James stood in the background, rather bored of it all. It was hard to get excited on the job anymore when you had been trying to accomplish the same thing for a couple of years now._

_"No way Team Rocket!" Snapped Ash, keeping everyone behind him although he mainly put on the theatics now for show. Everyone knew how this was going to pan out, why did they even try anymore? _

_They were having a reunion party in Pallet town by the lake, almost everyone from his past had gathered there, including the villains._

_Misty huffed, crossing her arms. "You've been chasing him for, what, four years now? You aren't getting Pikachu! Even you must know that by now!"_

_"Well then, we'll just have ta take him, won't we?" Snarled Meowth, bringing out a remote control. Despite his boredom with trying to catch this bothersome rodent he still enjoyed the various inventions he got to try out. Pressing a button, a mechanic arm shot out of the water. It stayed, curled like a cobra about to strike for a moment, before it shot forwards towards the electric mouse and was about to snatch him when a blur appeared before him. Ash dove in its path._

_"Ash!" He heard voices shout as he felt the metal dig into his skin as it grasped him. It was made Pikachu sized, so it closed very tight around his midsection, the cold metal burying itself into his flesh._

_"Pika!" Shouted Pikachu, quickly attempting to break it with a well aimed Iron Tail but failing._

_Ash looked up in time to see one last glimpse of everyone until being pulled into the water. Meowth began to panic when the robotic arm wouldn't respond._

_"It's not workin'!" He shouted, panicking, "He's gonna drown!"_

_Team Rocket looked helplessly in the water. They had never even thought it a possibility that their plot could truly harm one of the 'twerps'. After all, they had gotten rather attached to the kids._

_Before anyone could stop her, Misty had thrown off her shoes and dove into the clear blue water, forgetting her belt with her pokeballs in the process. Pikachu followed swiftly after her._

_Misty ignored the yells of "No Misty!" and continued down into the depths. Normally she would have felt perfectly at ease under the water, but the tension of losing Ash was building and she knew she had to save him, yet couldn't shake away this terrible feeling something was going to happen._

_Ash could feel his power draining, his arms unable to pry the robotic arm off and he could feel the pokeballs at his side, digging into him. His Pokemon were unable to get out and help their trainer since they were directly under the metal that was nearly threatening to snap the balls themselves. He kicked around more, his vision beginnign to dim. For a moment, he allowed himself to quiet and he watched the way the lights shone through the water, suddenly thinking of how pretty it all really was._

_It was only then he saw Misty and Pikachu heading his way. Ash had been drug near the bottom to a Magikarp shaped cage, which, of course, had air, but was once again Pikachu sized and he was stuck rather firmlu. Immediately, Pikachu's tail began to glow and his Iron Tail managed to break the robots arm this time around due to the increased desperation of the electric mouse. Before they could celebrate, though, the arm began thrashing about wildly and clouding up the water with the mud at the bottom of the pond from being disturbed. It was making it incredibly dangerous at such a high speed and before he could move, it hit Ash forcefully in the stomach. His what little breath he had remaining left him from the force. Misty began to swim towards him in panic, not noticing the threat had now turned to her._

_With wicked speed, it whipped around behind her and collided with the back of her neck._

_Ash will never forget that moment. No blood, no scream. Her body just went limp and began to float eerily through the water, her eyes now closed... That beautiful cerulean to never be seen again..._

Ash stood, gathering himself but still shuddering uncontrollably, muttering sorry to his friends. He walked over to the grave once more and gently placed the Water Lily on top of the stone.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do it." He said quietly, so quietly only Pikachu could here, "I'm so sorry Misty. I love you."

With that, not another word, he turned heel and walked, but everyone caught the glimmer on his cheek as the sun caught in his tear. His friends, along with his Pokemon, followed after him, except for Pikachu, who was staring at the tombstone, wide eyed and hardly daring to believe.

"Pika..."

No one but him saw her, her hair flowing down, free of the pony tail dressed in a rich, white silk kimono. No one saw the small smile she wore, the glow of happiness emitting from her, as she gently fingered the Lily that now lay on her tombstone. No one saw the tears escaping her ocean colored eyes as she stared after him, upset to see him in such a state but helpless to make his hurt go away.

But they all heard her, her angelic voice ringing through the still air around them.

_"There is nothing to forgive, Ash. I love you too."_

Ash whirled, knowing the voice and desperatly hoping to see it's owner, but all he could see was his Pikachu staring ahead at the gently moving petals of the Lily, as if being caressed, although no breeze stirred around them.


End file.
